Citizen Erased
by Muse-icfan756
Summary: Muse: What would happen if Matt Bellamy suddenly lost his memory? What would happen to his friends, family and fans? What is the thing just brushing the edges of his mind and why is it bothering him?
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my latest story. Another Muse one, as you can tell. Um...I know this sort of story has been done before but I made my own one now so it's more recent and has a bit of a twist.**

**Enjoy :D**

Matt grabbed his Manson MB-1 guitar, complete with MIDI controller pad and cracked effects, donned a pair of flashing LED slanted glasses and headed out of the dressing room door. Dom was leaning against the wall, tapping out a beat on his lime-green-skinny-jeans-covered-legs and Chris was practising his bass tune for Hysteria. They looked up when he came out, grinned, and went down the corridor to Tech to make sure everything was set up. It was going to be a great concert tonight.

Sarah Mayes stood amongst the jostling crowd in Wembley Stadium, watching as the last support act exited off the stage. She'd been waiting several hours for the Muse concert to begin and her legs were getting tired from standing up. If they didn't come on soon, she was going to get really annoyed.

The concert was said to be one of their best. They were going to top H.A.A.R.P, top Glastonbury, top Reading and Leeds and go all out. Sarah wondered if Matt was finally going to get the giant flying UFO he'd wanted over a year ago.

The lights went down and the crowd went silent. Then, suddenly, the spotlight was flung to the right side of the stage. The crowd cheered, but there was no one there. The spotlight crawled over to the left side of the stage and the crowd cheered again, but there was no one there either. People frowned in confusion. There was nowhere else to get in.

Matt peered over at the people and then staggered backwards, almost falling over Dom in the process. He got a few weird looks as they were drawn across, over the stage. And suddenly, as they laughed silently at the perplexed crowds, the spotlight shone in their eyes. Chris squinted against the brightness and was suddenly reminded of the time he'd gone to the small little beach just a few miles from their home town, Teignmouth, with his mother. Where was that little six year old now? He wondered, not for the first time, whether fame had changed him.

Sarah gasped as three figures appeared over the top of the stadium. One was small and skinny, one was bigger and stockier and one was just average. Then, one by one, they floated down towards us and took their respective places on the stage. Sarah's eyes widened and she roared with the crowd as the members of Muse 'flew' onto the stage.

As soon as Matt's feet touched the floor, he let out a deep breath, careful to move the microphone away from his mouth as he did so (they'd finally got him one that was attached to a headset so he could move around and sing at the same time). He walked over to the tape on the stage where he was supposed to start off and slung his guitar over his shoulder by the strap.

"G'd evening Wemb-er-ley!" he cried, and everyone cheered. Dom grinned as he sat down on his stool-leopard print covered, of course. "How're you guys doing?" He then played the first chord for one of their new singles. Dom slammed the drumsticks together and suddenly they were rocking out.

Sarah was jumping around wildly and singing along with the rest of the crowd as Muse were jamming out on the stage. Matt was up to his usual antics, walking backwards and forwards and 'raping' his guitar like there was no tomorrow. Which, according to the song, there wasn't. It was awesome.

Muse could really feel the vibe tonight. This crowd had been waiting ages for the release of their new album, and already they knew it off by heart. Matt couldn't help but smile as he song, despite how dramatic the lyrics were. There was nothing better than rocking out with thousands of other people. He felt loved. He felt, maybe a little, understood. He felt _great_.

And then, suddenly, the spotlight flashed to the back and illuminated something that was definitely not supposed to be there. His singing cut off as his fingers continued to play as if he was programmed. No, that was definitely wrong. There was something out of place. What was it? What _was _it? He couldn't think. That was the good thing about music. Well, usually. It was too loud to hear your own thoughts. The noises pounding in his ear were so loud and thumping that he couldn't tell the difference between the crowds shouts of joy or screams of warning. One minute he was playing the guitar solo, then the floor disappeared from underneath him and he fell to the ground below.


	2. Chapter 2

Sarah gasped as the screams of those around her split her ears. Matt was...out of sight, and the others had stopped playing and were rushing towards the stairs off the stage. Chris flung down his bass and sprinted down 4 steps at a time, with Dom hurrying behind him. He saw the sight before him and couldn't help a surge of panic arise.

Sarah pushed her way through the crowds.

"I'm a doctor!" she cried. "Let me through!" Well, it wasn't a complete lie. She'd got a degree in medicine, but then she'd gone on to do Psychology. The crowds parted for her in their panic but she soon found herself facing a barrier of safety guards that had previously been lining the front of the stage.

"You have to stay back," one of them told her. "Mr Bellamy will get medical assistance soon." She peered over their shoulders. Matt was lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood, completely paralysed. She screamed.

"I can help him! Please let me help him!" They glanced at each other, and then cautiously let her in. She flew down and ducked beside him, slowly rolling him into the recovery position. She couldn't believe something hadn't already been done. She then sought the injury. His head was severely damaged, and she felt tears roll down her cheeks as she put pressure on the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

Dom was crouched opposite Sarah, and he too found himself crying. He didn't mind that everyone could see him. Matt was his best mate, and he looked really bad. He caught himself, aware of Chris calling the emergency services urgently. He hoped desperately that they would be quick. You never knew what the traffic would be like in London.

And then they heard the blissful noise of sirens. The crowd hushed as they rushed in, sprinting towards the stage and hauling Matt onto a stretcher. They were wheeling him off within no time. One of the paramedics stayed behind to find out what happened. Sarah walked up to him.

"Can I go with them?" she asked. "In the ambulance?" Her voice shook wildly. The man looked shocked.

"I don't think that would be a very good idea," he muttered. "Do you even know him?"

"I helped him! I made sure he was alright!" Ish... "These guys were just standing here." And then Dom appeared at her side, nodding in her defence.

"That's true," he told the man. "She was very helpful." It showed how anxious Sarah was by the fact she didn't go all fangirly because Dom had his hand on her shoulder. The paramedic sighed, wondering why exactly this girl so desperately wanted access.

"Fine," he mumbled. "Come along quickly."

Sarah, Dom and Chris ran behind him and squashed themselves into the ambulance. There wasn't quite enough room, but they squidged in. The ambulance rocketed through the streets, and Sarah found herself thrown out of her chair a lot. She wished she could see which way they were going. All she could look at in this disinfectant-smelling room was Matt's brokenness, Chris' blank face staring straight ahead or the distraught posture of Dom sobbing in the corner. She felt her heart break.

Surely not. Surely this couldn't be the end. Something had to be done to save them.


	3. Chapter 3

The fans left in the stadium were stunned. In the space of five minutes, the crazy frontman had fallen off the stage and the whole band had been rushed away. What was happening to them now? What was happening to the _gig_?

Tom stepped out from the side of the stage, stunned, and went up to the microphone. There were a _lot_ of people out there. He felt his hands shake.

"Erm, hey?" he called out into the wild crowd. "Guys! Can you listen?" But he got no reply, just lots of confused people yelling out in the stands. "OI! EVERYONE LISTEN UP! Bloody hell!"

Someone turned towards him, and their friends followed until most of the crowd was staring anxiously up at the stage. Tom felt insignificant in his jeans and T-shirt after the stage's predecessors, but he carried on anyway.

"Hello, I'm Tom Kirk."

A murmur of recognition flew around the stadium.

"Yeah? Okay. Phew. Uh...as you can see, erm, Muse aren't here anymore."

_Yeah, nice one, Tom. Very clever._

"Uh..." he stammered, not sure how much to tell them. He looked behind to his crew and they shrugged helpfully, "Matt's had a bit of a problem, so we're going to call this gig officially cancelled..."

The crowd started groaning and calling out.

"Hey, hey! Stop it, okay! It's not anyone's fault. It was an accident, but a _big_ accident. And, uh...we'll refund the tickets. Yeah, yeah, we'll do that. Er...so, uh...we'll get back to you if you purchased tickets and uh...if you could leave in an orderly fashion, that'd be great...thanks." The crowd pushed and shoved their way out, completely ignoring Tom. He sighed and went backstage.

"How bad was it?" one of the crew members asked.

"Didn't you hear?" he answered. "They're really not happy!"

"Quite rightly," somebody else chipped in. "They expected one of the spectacular gigs and instead got panic and had to go straight home. I'd be pissed off if _I _were them."

"We're going to have to cancel the whole tour," Tom groaned.

"Was it _that bad?_"

"Of course it was that bad! Matt fell headfirst off the stage. Jesus, you didn't see him! It was...my God, I hope he's okay."

The ambulance was getting closer to the hospital and Matt was looking weaker and weaker. Sarah bit her fingernails anxiously. They'd better hurry up. Didn't the people realise how big a crisis this was? But, of course, it was London on a Friday night, and the traffic was awful. The paramedics driving were trying to keep their cool as they desperately swerved around vehicles.

And then they breathed a sigh of relief as they pulled into the ambulance dock at the hospital. The backdoors flew open and they wheeled Matt out on a stretcher. Dom, Chris and Sarah hopped out and hurried behind them. Inside it smelt of disinfectant and old dressings. They raced down a corridor into A and E, and as the stretcher was shoved through a set of doors the three of them were blocked out.

"I'm sorry, only patients are allowed in there," a nurse told them. They gaped at her.

"You're kidding," Chris muttered.

"No, I'm not. That's a no-go zone for non-patients. If we can ask you to wait out here, please..." She backed away slowly. Dom collapsed into a chair in defeat and Chris punched the wall. Sarah paced the corridor.

"What do they expect us to do?" she grumbled to herself. "Wait here until his treatment's done? What if it's _never _done?" Her breath caught at the thought, and she buried her face inside her hands. The image of Matt lying broken on the floor was burned into her retinas, and it was crushing her.

They were helpless.


	4. Chapter 4

"Damn them, damn them, this is _not_ happening," Chris muttered, rubbing his eyes and trying to think things through. What had happened when they left the stadium? The crew and everyone were still there, so hopefully they'd sorted something out, but what? What had actually happened to Matt? They'd been playing shows for _years_ and never once had he gotten close to falling off, even when he was making crazy moves across the stage. It just didn't happen. How were they going to sort this out? He was so worried for his friend's safety, and, of course, their careers. They couldn't just cancel everything. This was, funnily enough, how they made their living. It was a job. What about the fans? They'd promised gigs and now they were taking them away. They'd booked places in festivals and stadiums all over the earth and now they would have to cancel them. There was no way this would only be a minor disruption.

_Think rationally_, he commanded himself. He would sort something out. Maybe he could call Tom? That seemed suitable enough. Tom would...sort something out. And Tom would come here and maybe he could-

His thoughts were interrupted by a howl from Dom. Chris and Sarah both looked over, shocked. Sarah had tears leaking from her eyes as she watched and swallowed audibly. How could she possibly help him? Sure, they'd both just experienced the same thing and Sarah was deeply affected, but she couldn't even imagine what Dom and Chris were going through right now. They'd been like brothers for years and years, and now this could just destroy everything.

Dom choked on his breath and tried to stop sobbing. He felt stupid crying in front of everyone. He was a 34 year old man, yet he couldn't help himself. It was insane what had just happened. It was going to blow up his mind. He placed his hands over his face and gulped, trying to hold in his emotions. He'd always been pretty sensitive, but this was completely over the top. He didn't think he'd ever been so worried.

_What if he dies?_

The thought flitted across his mind and he had to bite his fist to stop himself crying out again. He couldn't even bear to imagine a life without Matt. Was such a thing possible? No. No, he didn't think so. He started shaking his head, and soon he was shaking all over, his fingers trembling and falling away from his face. He felt a hand on his shoulders and his sobbing paused as he looked up at Chris in shock. Chris pulled his hand back self-consciously and folded his arms. A second later he unfolded them and stalked off down the corridor.

Sarah sat down quietly beside Dom and wiped her eyes with her jumper sleeve. Where did Chris go? She was too afraid to ask anything. She'd realised that it had been a bit of a silly idea coming here now. What could she do? What relation did she have to them at all? Sure, she was a witness, but so was the entire crowd. She felt stupid and intrusive and her emotions were running wild. What was going on?

Chris knocked on the door of an office down the corridor. A nurse in scrubs opened it up and looked up at him.

"How can I help you?" she asked.

"Uhh, I was wondering if you could tell what the hell is going on?" he demanded.

"Pardon?"

"With Matthew Bellamy. The emergency that was just brought through. We've just been left out here and haven't been told anything. It's ridiculous!"

"Well, what did you expect us to tell you?"

"What you're going to do! He's been taken in there and anything could be happening to him! What's wrong with him? Do you need witnesses? Emergency contacts? Someone to tell you his background so he won't go into ana-whatsit-called shock or something? Is he even _alive_? Because I'm his best mate and I don't know." He stared down at her with sad eyes and she nodded.

"Sir, I will try my best to help you. Let me just go and get my colleague."

"Thank you." He leant back against the wall and waited for the man to come out. He shook hands with Chris and then gestured to a set of seats by the door. He sat down opposite him.

"Christopher Wolstenholme, yes?" the man assumed. Chris nodded. "Hi, I'm Doctor Wright. From what I've been told, Matthew has suffered a serious head injury. Can you tell me what exactly happened?"

"We...we were on the stage. Just playing, y'know, like normal. And Matt just...I don't know what happened. He just stopped all of a sudden and then fell head first off the stage! God, it was horrible! I don't understand...I just...I really don't know. And then, I guess you know it from there." Doctor Wright nodded.

"Well, right now the doctors are beginning the emergency procedure. From the reports I've received his heart _is_ still beating healthily but is breathing is slightly disjointed." Chris nodded, relieved. "After the operation, there is a risk of memory loss, which may be a problem."

"Memory loss." Doctor Wright nodded. Chris put his head in his hands. That was definitely going to be a disaster. He couldn't afford to lose his memory! Everything he knew, everything he'd ever experienced!

"It's only a possibility, but it's very likely. I'm just telling you in case he doesn't...recognise you when he awakes. Now, I'm going to need some permission and emergency details." He reached into a drawer beside him and pulled out some files before sliding them across to Chris and pointing out where he needed to sign. Chris filled in the emergency contacts and, just as he was signing the last section of the sheet, there was a rapid knock on the door. One of the nurses got up and opened to reveal a very flustered Kate Hudson. She flew down beside Chris and he noticed her tear-streaked face.

"Where's Matthew?" she cried. "What happened?" Doctor Wright sighed. He explained it all over again.


	5. Chapter 5

It was long night. Chris took a call from Tom about an hour after they'd got the hospital and updated him with the new information. They weren't told anything about the operation, but there were nurses and doctors entering and exiting the room constantly, returning with all sorts of sharp objects in their hands. Dom felt queasy and he made his way to the bathroom.

When he was there, he gripped the edge of the counter tightly and squeezed his eyes shut, hanging his head. His mind spun. Not Matt. Anybody but him. What he would give to take his place. Of course, Chris had told him he was still alive, which was relieving, but..._memory loss?_ Was all his past life worth it? What was the point of living that whole life if he wasn't going to remember it in the future? Why bother if it wouldn't help him?

_Because he enjoyed at the time. Of course there's a point_.

Dom scowled at himself from even thinking otherwise. What had happened to his usual optimistic self? Matthew was the brooding, contemplating one, not him. He turned on the cold tap and rinsed his face, the cool water soothing his skin and cooling his flushed skin. He ran a hand through his ruffled hair and sighed, rubbing his neck anxiously.

Sarah sat with her hands in her lap. Kate was sat quietly next to her, her eyes closed. Sarah wondered if she'd fallen asleep. Surely she couldn't sleep at a time like this? Just the thought of going to sleep made Sarah panic. What if something important happened when she was out? Nobody would think to wake her up. Who was she? Just another fangirl who'd managed to wiggle her way into the midst of the panic. What was she even doing here? She thought _her _anxiety was overwhelming, but how must it've been for the others? She suddenly felt really, _really_ stupid.

Kate felt somebody's eyes on her but she ignored it, used to the attention of people around her. She kept her eyes shut tight, not wanting to see her surroundings, not wanting to acknowledge what was going on. If she blocked everything out, maybe she could pretend nothing was happening. If she tried her best, she could even feel Matthew sat on the seat next to her. His warmth radiated towards her and she took his hands, smiling at him.

Sarah jumped as she felt somebody grip her hand tightly. She looked down and saw Kate's delicates fingers wrapped around her own. Her face was pained. Sarah sank into her seat softly, compassion filling her to the brim. She didn't try to pull her hand away like she normally would've done. In fact, it wasn't even that awkward. They were just two women worried about the same man, but in completely different positions.

Chris leant against the wall, suddenly craving a cigarette. The stress was beginning to get to him. Dom had gone and hidden in the bathroom, obviously getting over-emotional _again._ Kate was doing some female bonding thing with that girl...what was her name again? Sally? Tom _still _wasn't here, and the stupid doctors were keeping them in the dark. His fingers felt in his back pocket, but his search was unsuccessful. It had been a year since he'd last smoked. Did he want to go back on everything? He remembered why he'd stopped in the first place. He'd read all the articles about what could happen to smokers and the dangers of smoking, and he'd felt bad. What would happen to his family if he were suddenly to get lung failure? His friends? The band? It was the same thing that stopped him from smoking, yet suddenly he felt an urge to go back on everything. All the progress he'd made. It meant nothing anymore.

Dom took a deep breath and left the bathroom, bracing the emptiness outside. The light reflecting off of the white walls was blinding, stabbing into his eyes and further into his mind. He couldn't concentrate on any one thing, his thoughts scattered all across the place. He sat down shakily in one of the seats, but before his bum could hit the surface, a doctor burst through the door. He had a small smile on his face.

The four of them turned towards him at once, mixtures of shock, hope, and agony mingled on their faces. He took a deep breath, thanking God that he wasn't here to tell them what they all subconsciously thought he was. So many times he'd had to deliver that message. So many hearts had been broken before his eyes. Not today.

"The operation," he stated, "was successful."


	6. Chapter 6

They leapt up in unison, eyes wide like rabbits in the headlights.

"Successful?" Chris asked. "What did you do?"

"Well," the doctor began. "It's a bit hard to explain. Obviously we had to put stitches in, as there was quite a lot of damage, but he also had a broken arm and we had to check for any internal bleeding. Thankfully, it was an easier case than we'd expected. Your friend is going to be just fine." Dom collapsed against the wall with relief, the cool white surface pressed against his cheek. Kate squeezed his hand, grinning. Sarah closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and ran a hand through her hair. The relief was palpable.

"And the status?"

"Well, you see, there's a high chance he's going to suffer from this memory loss. He's currently sleeping, and you can't visit him for a little bit. We'll make sure to let you know when he's ready. Meanwhile, feel free to help yourself to our services." He turned away and went to office. Chris turned around to face the rest of them and shrugged.

"I'm really hungry," Dom mumbled. Sarah perked up, suddenly finding a use for herself.

"Does anyone want a coffee or something? I'll go and get the stuff," she offered. Chris smiled at her.

"Black coffee, please," he answered.

"Could I have a sandwich or something?" Dom asked. Sarah nodded, committing their answers to memory.

"Kate? Anything for you?"

"Oh...uhh, just a water for me, please," she replied, still dazed. Sarah felt in her pocket for her purse as she headed down the corridor, following the signs for the cafe. She'd worked here a couple of years ago-in fact, she'd even done her training here. But this was a completely opposite ward to where she was used to working. The hospital was way too complex to be helpful to anyone.

Just as she reached the lifts, the doors opened and Tom Kirk walked out, looking flustered.

"Hey, you couldn't tell me where the emergency ward is, could you?" he wondered. She stared at him.

"You're a bit late, aren't you?" she responded, surprised at her own answer. He glanced down at her and noticed her Muse shirt, nodding to himself. It made sense, suddenly. She must be the fan that went with them.

"Listen, could you tell me the news?"

"The operation was successful." She watched the relief wash over him. His facial expression relaxed completely as he sighed.

"Thank-"

"Darwin," she interrupted, and then giggled, and then clapped her hand over her mouth, not expecting to be able to make Muser jokes right now. He smirked at her.

"Don't steal my lines," he scolded playfully.

"Sorry," she laughed and pointed behind her. "They're down that corridor."

"And where are _you_ going?"

"The canteen, I hope."

"You hope?" She chuckled.

"I'm a bit lost." He nodded.

"Mind if I come with you?" She shrugged, fangirl mode kicking in. Tom Kirk. Tom Kirk was actually here. Tom Kirk was going to the canteen with her. Voluntarily. She bit back a smile, trying to remaind calm and focused. _This is still a serious situation_, she chastised herself. _Just because the operation was successful doesn't mean that everything's rosy again._ The reminder sobered her immediately.


	7. Chapter 7

**I was listening to Rachmaninoff for this chapter, so it may be a bit weird, haha. :D**

Matt blinked slowly, his eyelids flickering as the harsh light penetrated his eyes. He squinted against it and involuntarily screwed up his face. _What the hell?_ As he adjusted to the brightness, he attempted to turn his head to survey his surroundings. However, when he pressed his head against the not-so-soft pillow beneath him, a sharp pain attacked his skull. Shocked, he tried to put his hand up to put pressure on his head, but he found it was too heavy to move. The other hand, however, was absolutely fine. When he felt his head, his hand brushing through soft, messy hair, his fingers found a rough material there. Curious, he tried to sit up, wiggling his way further up the uncomfortable bed.

Suddenly, somebody walked into the room. She turned towards him and, flustered, rushed to pull his hand away.

"No, no!" she exclaimed. "You'll hurt yourself." He blinked at her, this woman with her dark hair pulled taught behind her head. She seemed slightly out of proportion, as if her body was just a little bit too big for her head. Matt's eyebrows knitted together as he observed her flurried movements.

"...goodness, I should probably tell the doctor!" And with that she walked away. Matt suddenly realised that he'd probably zoned out, and maybe he should've listened to her. _Doctor?_ What was that? The word sounded familiar. Doctor. _Doctor._ What was a doctor? Where did the woman go? Matt suddenly felt a strange emptiness in his stomach, but he couldn't put his finger on what it could possibly be. He had a sudden urge to get up and find the woman, but his legs were too comfortable and slightly numb in their current position. Maybe he could call for her? That seemed about right?

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Frowning, he tried again, but all he succeeded in doing was making a quiet 'pop'. Concentrating really hard, so hard that dents formed in his brow, he attempted it again. A low, slightly off-sounding syllable fell out of shocked lips, and he clapped his hand over his mouth, startled by the sound of his own voice. Trying again, he found he was able to make the noise for quite a while. The pitch wavered slightly the longer he held it, his vocal cords vibrating. It was quite a low voice naturally, and much different to what he'd heard from the woman previously. He wondered why that was.

After a few minutes, the woman returned with a tall man by her side. Matthew watched them carefully, the way they interacted with each other mesmerising him. The man did most of the talking, the woman seeming naturally more submissive and obedient. The animalistic instincts inside of him informed him that this man was in charge of the woman, but under what pretences he wasn't sure.

The man walked towards him and, without warning, shone an even brighter light into his eyes. Matt squirmed and, to practice, let out a strange noise. The light disappeared- the man was satisfied.

Doctor Stoner cleared his throat before he began speaking.

"Matthew, my name is Doctor Stoner. Do you know who you are?" Matt shrugged. To be honest, he hadn't really been so interested in himself. He was called Matthew than? He tried it out, his mouth forming the words like a child first learning how to speak.

"Mmm..aaaah..ff...ew?" he stammered out shakily. The doctor smiled at him softly and nodded, pleased that he was at least able to do that. He turned towards the nurse and murmured something about possible brain damage to her. It would definitely be a while before Matt was allowed visitors, but there was definitely progress there.

"Good. Could you nod if you understand me?" Matt bounced his head like the doctor demonstrated. He wasn't stupid, he just wasn't sure how to communicate yet. "How about blinking twice?" Matt followed the doctor's instructions diligently, hoping that they'd come to some sort of conclusion soon. He noticed that the strange emptiness in his stomach had been replaced with an insistent urge to twiddle his fingers.

The doctor sat with him for a couple of hours, going through the basics and monitoring his health. Matthew was responding perfectly to his tests, and he hoped this meant that the damage had been kept to a minimum. Matt definitely wasn't who he'd been before, nor had he shown any recall of that whatsoever, but he was most definitely present, his personality beginning to shine through. Accidents like this could easily ruin a life with irreversible brain damage. Matt, on the other hand, was delighted with his new found ability to talk. He mimicked the doctor and learnt their names, greeting them with a polite, "Hello." He felt like he wanted to talk more, but he wasn't entirely sure what there was to talk about.

Kate waited nervously outside, sipping her third cup of coffee. There was still no information on Matthew's progress. The staff here weren't exactly very helpful, but she couldn't complain. At least the healthcare was free and open to all. At least they were actually _doing_ something. At least Matthew was alive. That was the most important thing.

Matt grinned. "Did you say I have visitors?" he asked again, just for the feel of his own voice, fluent with this language. He'd picked it up easily, and he wondered if he'd already known it before. Were they teaching him or simply rekindling something once forgotten? The doctor smiled and nodded.

"Do you think you're ready to see them?" Matt pondered that for a moment. More visitors meant company, and company would fill the hole and feed the boredom.

"I...I think so."


	8. Chapter 8

Kate took in a deep breath and then nodded, her hand inches away from the door handle. She froze, wondering whether she should proceed. The nurses had given her the 'ok', but that didn't mean Matt had. Was he ready to see them already? It had been a few hours already since the operation, yet it felt all too soon for her. Was he ready to see her? Would everything be okay and in order? She turned back and met Dom's eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile and she nodded once more before opening the door to Matt's room.

She closed the door behind her when she stepped in, sealing the two in the room alone. The nurses had given them some privacy, at least. Matt was propped up amongst the sheets and Kate swallowed nervously when she took in his appearance. A white bandage cut across the dark hair on his head, startlingly white even in the hospital room. He was wearing a faded blue gown and was tucked in tightly, his feet sticking up at the end endearingly. Of course, they didn't actually poke out.

He looked up at Kate when she entered and smiled. This was the first person who wasn't a professional that he'd met. This was the first person who wasn't going to test him or worry over his heartrate-at least he hoped. This was just somebody he could talk to, spend some time with. He felt like he needed that.

"Hello!" he greeted her brightly.

"Hi, Matthew," Kate replied, coming closer towards him and nervously rubbing her inner wrist. She forced a smile for him, which he reciprocated whilst patting the spare mattress space beside him. She sat in the chair beside the bed instead, able to get a better view of him here whilst still maintaining a personal conversation. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good." He nodded to emphasise this, and Kate relaxed into the chair a little bit.

"Groggy from the anaesthetics?" He frowned, little creases forming on his brow. "The medicine, I mean."

"Oh. No, not really." He grinned again, boundless energy filling him up. Kate's smile was real now as she recalled how lively Matt always seemed to be, how he always had time for her, even when he was tired. She blinked back to reality when Matt spoke. "So...who are you?" She pointed at herself.

"Me?"

"No, the plant." Nice to see that he'd retained most of his personality. If that was lost, a lot of people would be hurt. She chuckled.

"My name's Kate," she told him. Holding her hand out to him, which, surprisingly, they'd never done before. When they met, they'd been a bit preoccupied, and every meeting since then had been casual. He grasped her hand tightly, long fingers wrapping around hers, and Kate bit her lip.

"Hi, Kate." He flashed yet another smile, his wonky tooth poking out ever so slightly.

"Do you remember...me? At all?" She looked down at their hands, still joined together, Matt fascinated as he intertwined their fingers. He looked up at her question, his sparkling blue eyes meeting hers. He scanned her face, trying to find a recollection, anything at all.

"Kate," he murmured to himself, hoping that the name would drag a memory from his scattered thoughts. She looked at him hopefully. She was pretty, he noticed, with a soft-seeming face. Her eyes were a pale green, almost aquamarine, and her face was framed with long, golden hair. He felt an urge to reach out and touch it, to see if it felt like it looked, but he held back, unsure if that was acceptable. Instead, he focussed on the task at hand.

_Kate, Kate._ What was he supposed to remembering anyway? How could he know this woman? How had he even _got_ here? As he pondered, he noticed small dents forming between Kate's eyebrows, getting deeper and deeper as the minute stretched out. Didn't he have any memory of her at all? Of all the times they'd shared?

"No," he answered. "No, I don't think so. I'm sorry," he added, when he saw her face fall. Kate's eyes swam with sudden tears. She thought she'd been braced for this. She'd told herself that Matt had lost his memory, yet there was that lingering strand of hope that maybe, just maybe, love would prevail. Obviously not.

Matt's hand tightened on hers, his natural instinct to comfort this woman who had obviously known him before, yet he didn't know how he could help her. No, he'd never seen her before in his life. He would've remembered that face. He wished she would look at him, continue talking to him instead of letting this endless silence hang over them, smothering the pair in sorrow. Matt bit his lip to stop himself from saying something stupid.

Kate turned to look at him, just in case she sparked a memory, in case he suddenly remembered. Everything overwhelmed her again, and she realised that Matthew wouldn't remember any of the times they'd spent together. The day they met, the night he proposed, the birth of their son, his birthday last year, meeting each other's parents. That was all lost to him. And all the experiences he'd had without her, the tours he'd been on with the band, the 32 years he lived before they met, the music he'd played, the people he'd met, the places he'd visited. Looking at it this way, he'd wasted 34 years of his life.

No, she couldn't stay her. Matthew was lying innocently in the bed, completely unaware of their relationship, of what he meant to her and what she hoped she had meant to him. She pulled her hand from his, and he sat up.

"Kate?" he asked, confused and slightly hurt.

"I-I'm sorry," she mumbled, getting up from the chair and putting it back to the side where she got it from. "I'm really sorry."

She walked swiftly to the door and, as soon as she was outside of the room, she leaned against the wall and let the tears spill over, each trail symbolising a lost moment in time. Dom and Chris paused their game of Hangman, watching her carefully until she made her way to the ladies' room, embarrassed. Inside the room, Matthew sat in the bed, staring after the golden-haired Kate he'd met and upset, wondering what he'd done wrong.


	9. Chapter 9

Dom got up from his seat slowly.

"Should I go in?" he asked Chris quietly. He had no idea what had happened with Kate and wasn't sure whether to just think she was being an over-emotional woman or to be wary around Matt.

"It depends," Chris replied. "What exactly do you plan to say?"

"I just want to see him. Talk to him. Say, 'Hi.' He probably wants somebody to talk to. I know I would in that situation. Even if he doesn't know who I am, he'll talk to me." Chris shrugged.

"Don't expect me to go in there with you. I'll see him later when we've sorted all this out." He shoved a hand into his trouser pocket. "I should probably go and call Kelly again. I'll need to get home soon." Dom agreed with him and then went to the door of Matt's room. Instead of pausing like Kate had done, he simply pushed the door open and let it swing closed behind him. He knew that Matt wouldn't know him, he knew that this might be a difficult conversation, but he also knew that he was in control of the conversation. He was ready for this.

Dom made his way over to the chair where Kate had sat. He felt Matt's eyes watching him the whole way, but neither said anything when he sat down. They just watched each other. Dom and Matt had always had a sort of special connection. There was nothing romantic between them, but there was that affectionate brotherly love which often didn't seem to extend to Chris so much. Not that they left Chris out, but he was content to allow the other two to drift into their own little world. They were almost bonded to each other after twenty years of friendship. The times they'd been through and the memories they'd made were some of the most important in Dom's life.

Sat here, seeing Matt look so vulnerable-and upset-he felt an overwhelming urge to protect him. Matt wasn't able to defend himself in this state, and he looked slightly skinnier already. Dom felt his face grow sad as he took in the frail form of his best friend, hoping that the lively, bubbly man he'd been 24 hours ago was still there.

Matt spoke first.

"What did I do wrong?" he inquired, baffled. The past five minutes had been extremely strange for him, and, although he'd tried to be as polite and normal as possible, he'd still managed to upset Kate.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Dom told him softly, reaching out and patting his arm. "It's not your fault."

"But I must've done something wrong. She looked so...devastated. Like I'd wrecked her life or something. Why?"

"Well, she asked you if you remembered her, right?" Matt nodded. "And you don't do you?" Matt nodded again, but slower this time, thinking over his answer in his desperation to fix the problem he'd created. He didn't know this man either, with his blonde hair slightly messy and his grey eyes looking at him earnestly. No, he didn't know either of them. It _was_ his fault. "That's what made her upset, because she knows you. She knew you before all this happened, and she thinks she's lost you." Matt's face fell.

"But I'm here."

"I know you're here. But you're different to who you were, because you don't remember."

"Please. Explain. I don't understand. How did I get here? What happened to me?" Matt's voice rose in volume as he questioned Dom, eager to find an answer, an explanation. Maybe this would solve his problem. Maybe he could help Kate, and this kind, blonde man.

"You don't remember any of it at all, do you? You were...you fell." Matt's eyebrows knitted together.

"Fell? From where?" he wondered.

"I'm really not sure how much I'm allowed to tell you. I should probably get a nurse for help with this." As he said it, Dom realised that that was a better idea. The nurse would know what to do, how the psychology of everything worked and how not to overwhelm him. They would explain and Matt would be on the road to recovery already. "Yes, I'll do that." He jumped up from his seat, revitalised by the idea of getting Matt back on track, when he felt long fingers wrapping around his wrist. He turned back to Matt, not at all startled by the contact; the two had always done it before.

"What's your name?" Matt's quiet question hung in the air, more weight attached to it than either had ever expected.

"Dom. Dom Howard," he replied. "And I'm your best friend." He gently pulled his wrist free. "I'll be back in just a minute." And then he was leaving the room and Matt was alone again.

He started the countdown almost immediately. 60. 59. 58. 57...

Dom knocked on the door of the nurse's office next to Matt's room, and it opened to reveal the chubby, brown-haired nurse that Matt had met before.

"Yes?" she asked impatiently.

"I have an idea," Dom began, and proceeded to tell her all about his idea and asking how they should go about it. She nodded and made little 'm-hm' noises throughout his thoughts to show that she was listening.

46. 45. 44...

"I don't know," she replied after Dom was finished. "Do you really think it's a good idea?"

"That's what I came to ask you! But he really wants to know. He wants to start making things right again, and that's the man I know. He may seem a little bit conscientious at times, but only because he's such an overdramatic person. He's actually really humble and kind and family-orientated and he wants everyone to be happy and he hates being guilty and-" She cut him off.

"Let me get the doctor." Dom closed his eyes as she left and felt a small smile flickering at the edge of his lips.

29. 28. 27...

She returned not long after with a man whose name badge read 'Dr Stoner'. He shook Dom's hand, already briefed on the idea, and they discussed possibilities and the safety of everything. Would it be sensible to tell Matthew who he was? Well, yes. He needed to know sooner or later, and his rapid recovery from the operation indicated that he was indeed stable enough.

Yes. They would do it.

7. 6. 5...

The trio left the office and headed for Matt's room. Dom heard Matt's voice counting as they pushed open the door.

"Two, one, zero." He looked up at the door when he finished and was surprised to see that Dom was actually there. He smiled at him, which Dom reciprocated before sitting back down. The nurse stood at the edge of the room, not wanting to crowd Matthew and not realising that he relished the company. Doctor Stoner stood at the foot of the bed.

"Hello again, Matthew," he greeted him.

"Hello, Doctor Stoner," Matt replied, the beginnings of a smirk on his face. Dom bit his lip, recognising Matt's cheeky expression already.

"How are you feeling?"

"Confused," Matt admitted. "I want to know who I am." The doctor nodded.

"Well, that's what I'm here to tell you. Now, you're in here because you've had an operation. You fell and hit your head, and we were extremely worried that you might've suffered brain damage." Matt's eyes widened. "Thankfully, that isn't the case, but you have got a form of amnesia. Our problem is finding out whether it's permanent or temporary. We're going to have to try to help you get your memories back."

Matt shifted under the covers, excited at the prospect. Finding out who he was meant that he could make this right. He could go back to his former life. There had to be something other than this boring hospital room.

"But," Doctor Stoner continued, "the first step is just to tell you. Matthew, you fell off a stage."

"A stage?" Matt blurted. "What was I doing on a stage?" His stomach turned as he tried to think of what he could possibly be doing on a stage. Comedy, maybe? Definitely a show of some sort. He shook his head. He was far too scared to ever get on stage. Besides, what could he actually do? No, this doctor had to be joking.

"Matthew, I want to make sure you understand this completely clearly. In no way am I messing with you. This is the simple truth, and I don't want you to react too wildly. Can you do that?"

"I'm not a child," Matt muttered sulkily. Dom snuffled laughter through his nose.

"I'll take that as a, 'Yes.' Matthew, you were on stage because...well-" For some reason, Doctor Stoner found himself stumbling over his own words, as sudden doubts plagued his mind. Was he really doing the right thing? Dom realised this and quickly stepped in.

"Because you're a rockstar."


	10. Chapter 10

**Just read the rules for the first time in the year and a half I've been here. Turns out that you aren't allowed to use lyrics in stories, or write about real people. AHAHAHAH.**

**By the way, if you haven't heard Time is Running Out acoustic, I suggest you listen to it because it's freakin' awesome.**

Sarah stood with her arms wrapped around her torso, unintentionally defensive over nothing. Tom was leaning against the railing casually, waiting for the queue to allow them further down towards the food area. The small plastic tray already held a cool bottle of water, but by the time it got to Kate, it would probably be luke-warm. Nice.

Sarah couldn't help wondering what was going on upstairs. She'd excused herself from that situation, knowing it was getting awkward and, having no relationship with Matt to speak of-aside from that one time, and it didn't really count as a relationship-she figured she was the one who wouldn't be needed. Still, she wanted to know what was happening. Were they talking to Matt? Was he okay? Was his brain severely damaged or had they worked a miracle? She bit her lip, a nervous habit of hers, and recognised the metallic taste of blood in mouth as she licked her lip.

Tom watched her carefully, curious as to her reaction. Who was this girl, really? He knew that she was a fan, but who was she as a person. What was her name? He felt shame flood his veins as he realised he hadn't even asked her. What must she think of him? He hadn't meant to be rude.

Why was he even bothered with this girl who'd tagged along? Why had she tagged along?

_Stop it, Tom_, he thought to himself. _She was helping them. Stop being so nosy and get on with your life. _

Sarah slid the tray along as the people in front of them moved forward. She selected a cheese sandwich for Dom, figuring that it was a fairly neutral flavour, but Tom picked it up and put it back. She frowned at him briefly as he picked up two ham sandwiches.

"Dom prefers ham," Tom told her with a small smile. She let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding, pleased that she had somebody here to guide her. She also made a black coffee for Chris and started to brew some tea of her own, the bundle of nerves collecting in her stomach preventing her from eating anything.

They paid for their food and then, with the items balanced precariously on the tray, attempted to make their way back to Matt's ward.

"Do you know the ward number?" Tom asked Sarah, face hopeful. She sifted through the past hour and bit her lip again, reopening the cut.

"Uhm..." she left it open, hoping Tom would gather her failure without her having to state it out loud. That would just make it all the more mortifying. She should have been paying attention. However, instead of being mad, Tom just chuckled to himself.

"This should be something of an adventure then." He spied a map on the wall and studied it as Sarah chastised herself. This wasn't like her. She was usually a bit more talkative, even if starstruck. Now she was just making a fool of herself. "It says emergencies are on the second floor. Has he moved wards at all, do you know?" Sarah shook her head.

"We've stayed in the same place since we arrived here. Unless they moved whilst we were gone, which wouldn't be very helpful, they should still be where we began."

"Great. We should probably get a lift up and then follow the signs. I think there were a couple of posters I might recognise from my way up." Sarah obeyed, following Tom to the lifts whilst still gripping the tray tightly. Her tea was really tempting, and she didn't want it to go cold. They stood next to each other in the metal cage, the items on the tray wobbling slightly as they travelled up towards Matt's ward. Neither spoke, the suddenly possibility that they might get to speak to him preventing their jaws from moving. Sarah was frozen as she really thought about the scenario. All she'd been thinking about before was the possibility that he wouldn't make it, but now that he was healthy, how was he doing? Would she get to speak to him or would she be dismissed? _It might even be a good idea for him to see me, _she thought to herself. _If he's lost his memory, seeing me would be least traumatic, as I can just tell him I don't know him._

But then she realised that this was just a silly ploy to get close to her idol. She chastised herself for even considering taking advantage of him like that and turned away from Tom, feigning interest in a poster about healthy eating that was plastered on the walls.

Tom bit his nails nervously as the doors pinged open and he walked alongside Sarah as she carried the tray. He didn't know any further than this, but Sarah suddenly seemed to remember the way.

"It's this way," Sarah mumbled to herself. "I think." She recognised a snacks dispenser at the end of this particular corridor. As the approached it, Tom fumbled in his pocket for some cash and slotted it into the machine, buying a packet of crisps at a cheaper price than the cafe downstairs. Sarah studied the signs hanging from the ceiling and decided that they had been going the right way, thank goodness.

As they approached the place they hoped Matt's ward to be, however, they heard hysterical giggles.

"That does sound like Matt," Tom mused. "I don't think there's anyone else that laughs as manic as his."

"Rockstar?" the voice attached the giggles screeched. "AHAHAHAHA! Like _I_ could possibly be a rockstar!" The two of them pressed their ears up against the door, trying to hear more.

"Matthew, please calm down," a soothing male voice said. "We will explain it all in a minute."

"You just told me that I'm a rockstar, and you want me to calm down? I don't understand. How could I possibly be a rockstar? I can't even play music!" Tom gasped. Matt without music...he'd never known it. Matt and music had always been intertwined for him. He couldn't imagine what Matt would be like without the spirit of the music, the enjoyment of the music, the pure genius of it. Sarah squeezed her eyes shut in pain. What did this mean now? What would happen to the band now? Even if Matt improved, he didn't know anything about music. How could they possibly fix this?

Suddenly, both of them felt hands on their shoulders and heard a sharp female voice ask,

"What do you two think you're doing?"

**Now we shall watch as the story incre,cre,cre,cre,c,c,creases.**

**Bet you didn't sign up for bad jokes when reading this, did you? ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

**So, I thought I'd update again in celebration of the news! Who else is really excited? **

Tom whipped around a little faster than Sarah, taking in the nurse's large profile.

"We're...waiting. For our friend to come out," he stammered and gestured towards the tray. "We brought lunch."

"Who are you?" the nurse asked, her eyes narrowed.

"We're Matt's...friends." Sarah tried not to make any movement at the use of 'we' in that sentence. She hadn't actually spoken to Matt in years. Could they really be classed as friends? Not really. She knew it was only Tom trying to make sure they got to stay. Because Tom was definitely one of Matt's friends.

"Well, could you please go and sit down instead of listening in on important, _private_ business." Tom nodded and followed her gaze to where Kate was sat. Kate's face brightened a little at the sight of them. Tom and Sarah made their way over to her, the latter blushing with shame and embarrassment, and sat down beside her.

"Hey, Kate," Tom greeted her softly. "How're you doing?" Kate shrugged.

"Not too great, to be perfectly honest," Kate admitted.

"Have you..." he paused, unsure whether to breach the touchy subject, "have you been in to see Matt?" She nodded.

"He doesn't remember me. He's lost his memory." She squeezed her eyes shut with pain and then reopened them, reaching for the bottle of water rolling around on the tray. "Dom's in there with the doctor at the moment, trying to explain things. It doesn't sound like it's going particularly well." She lifted her head and took a sip of the water. It wasn't hard to tell that she was tired and upset. Bags were beginning to form under her eyes. How long had they been here? Tom glanced down at his watch. It was 10 in the morning. Most likely, Kate had been up for 24 hours now, possibly more depending on what she'd been up to yesterday.

"You should get some sleep," he told her, putting his hand on her arm gently. She shook her head.

"I need to stay awake," she insisted. "Dom will be coming out with the news soon."

"Kate-"

"I promise, I'll sleep once Dom comes out."

"Dom still hasn't come out after all these years, who says he's going to now?" Sarah mumbled to herself. Tom snorted but ignored her joke.

"Fine. Okay then." He leaned back in his seat, apparently satisfied but still worried. Matt would kill him if he knew this his fiancée had been kept up worrying about him. He was the sort of guy that wanted everybody to believe that he was strong. He didn't want people fussing over him.

Sarah sat on the edge of the bench and sipped her tea quietly. The heat of it burnt her tongue, and she put it down on the side for a moment, trying to avoid looking at Kate's water so she wouldn't be tempted by it.

The three of them sat in awkward silence, neither speaking nor looking at each other for fear of seeing some hidden emotion that nobody wanted to see.

Inside the room, Matt's giggles had calmed down slightly, but he still looked disbelieving.

"I don't think you understand," he began, "that I can't possibly be a rockstar."

"But it's true!" Dom insisted, twiddling his fingers in despair. If his friend kept denying it, what would his attitude be towards it? Even if he was healthy and safe again after this, would it be the end of the band simply because Matt had a different opinion now?

"Look, Dom, you said you were my friend, so you obviously know me. There's no way I would ever be able to get up on stage and play music in front of any number of people, let alone a lot of them-I'm assuming that's what being a rockstar implies. Playing music in front of thousands of people? Am I right?" Dom nodded. "I'm not confident enough to do that. Hell, I'd be scared stiff if I was suddenly surrounded by people in here. And I can't even play music! Isn't that sort of a requirement?"

"Matt, you might not remember, but I swear on my life and everything that I own, you are a rockstar. We've been best mates since we were 14 years old. We're in a band. We've..." he didn't want to sound smug or big-headed, but he had to tell the truth, "we've become world famous. You've developed the confidence. I know you're still the same boy you were 20 years ago, but you've been able to mask that, to develop that and become this idol. You play music like nobody else does, Matt. You don't know how many people you've inspired. I know you've forgotten that, but I'm going to try and help you remember. There's no way you're missing out on those memories."

There was silence in the room after Dom's passionate speech, before Doctor Stoner cleared his throat.

"Thank you for approaching that subject, Mr Howard. That's what I was going to talk about," he said. "Matthew, you're 34 years old, so losing your memory can be an extremely significant impact on your life. It would difficult to live without memories of the things you've experienced, as, essentially, you'd be starting your life over again. Some people choose this option, preferring to create a new life, do something different. However, I do think that your previous life is quite preferable to most things you might achieve after being released from hospital and therefore we have a proposition for you. We have a...well, you could call it a program, that helps people regain their memories via psychological work." Matt and Dom raised their eyebrows. "Depending on how you would like this to go, and what you are most comfortable with, we could assign you to a psychologist who would try to help you remember who you are. It's been quite successful in the past."

Matt squirmed uncomfortably in his bed.

"I-I'm not sure that I really want somebody, y'know, prying in my old life like that," he whispered, ashamed at rejecting the treatment. "I just think that, if I don't know what it is, I'd rather I didn't find it out from a stranger. Couldn't...couldn't Dom help me?"

Dom chuckled.

"Unfortunately not. Dominic doesn't have the training needed to undergo this. Listen, Matthew, how about I fetch the psychologist and you can have a chat to her now? If you feel comfortable, we can go ahead with the treatment, and if not then we'll just keep you here for a few more days and then let you go. Does that sound alright?" Matt paused and then nodded. "I think she might be here today, actually." He turned to the nurse, who has reappeared after taking a quick break outside, and whispered something to her. She confirmed whatever he'd said and then turned to go back outside.

"Yes, if I remember correctly, your potential psychologist is sitting right outside."


	12. Chapter 12

**I got no homework today! And we all know what that means...more writing time! Yay :D**

The ward door opened and the three heads swivelled towards the doctor who appeared in the doorway. He cleared his throat, before addressing them.

"Mrs Mayes, could you come in here for a moment, please?" he asked. Sarah frowned and glanced at Tom, who shrugged back at her, wondering why she was seeing Matt before he was. She got to her feet, feeling the weight of Kate's gaze following her, and slowly walked into the ward room, biting her lip nervously. She could see Matt lying in the bed on the far side of the room, Dom sat beside him and the nurse attending to him carefully.

"Mrs Mayes, this is Matthew," he introduced them, Sarah nodding even though she knew that already, "and he will hopefully be your next patient." She definitely wasn't prepared for that. She opened her mouth to protest automatically, and then faltered, wondering why the doctor had suggested her.

"Pardon?" she opted for, confused and a little lost.

"Matthew seems to have lost his memories, and we were hoping that you could use your training to help him regain them." Sarah was reminded of the course she'd taken a little under a year ago on this topic and shifted her feet awkwardly. "If you two could just chat for a little bit and see if you're comfortable around each other, then hopefully we can get the program started as soon as possible. That is, if you consent, Mrs Mayes?"

"Please call me Sarah," she told him. He nodded with a small smile. "Of course, I'd be happy to help Mr Bellamy." The doctor's brow furrowed.

"How did you know his last name? I don't remember telling you that." Woops.

"Uh, well, you see, I'm actually a really big fan of his band," Sarah admitted, her cheeks heating as she tried to think of a good explanation whilst not seeming like the immature fangirl she really was. She'd just been offered this job and, having been without a patient for a while, it was the perfect opportunity. "So I already know at least a little bit about him. Which could help, perhaps?" Doctor Stoner wet his lips, thinking this through.

"Why don't you two talk it out and then we can come to a decision?" Sarah made her way forward and pulled up a chair beside Matt's bed.

"Hi," he croaked, forcing a smile for her.

"Hello," she replied, holding her hand out and feeling Matt's long fingers wrap around hers so familiar to all those years ago that it made her shiver. She heard his weak chuckle and pulled her hand back self-conciously, shaking her head as if she were able to shake the memories out of her ears. For a fleeting moment, she almost felt jealous of Matt's condition, and then she realised how shallow and stupid it was and felt ashamed of herself. "So, I guess I'm supposed to be helping you. If that's alright with you?" Matt eyed her suspiciously, his questioning side shining through.

"What do you plan on doing to me? Because if it's any psycho-mind-control frenzy then I'm definitely out." Sarah attempted to laugh but it got caught up in her throat.

"No, no, not that at all. I mean, the program can include a mild form of hypnotism, I have practiced that before," his eyes widened in shock and, if she was reading him correctly, fear, so she hastened to add, "but we really don't have to go there, if you're not comfortable with it. It'll mostly just be trying to jog your memory by exploring what we already know about your past and seeing if you can help us develop this. If I'm right, you're suffering from...retrograde amnesia?" She turned to the Doctor, seeking the confirmation that she found, and turned back around to Matt again. "Retrograde amnesia. Your general knowledge is mainly intact, your language skills are fine, etcetera, but your personal memories are probably lost. I'll tell you more about that at a later time." She smiled at home, aware that she might be overwhelming the poor man with this talk. All of a sudden, her confidence had come rushing back in, as she was faced with a topic that she finally understood. Now that she could put a label on the problem, doors began to open and solutions were in sight.

Matthew nodded slowly and turned to Dom for help.

"If Matt were to agree to this program," Dom began, "how often would he be visiting Sarah?"

"Well, probably quite often, at least at first. We're hoping that the program will be successful, so, depending on how many memories are recovered and how well the pair of you get along, you'll gradually have less and less sessions with her as the years go by," Doctor Stoner explained.

"_Years?" _Matt exclaimed, his eyes bugging out of his head. The doctor nodded.

"It isn't as bad as it sounds though. You'll probably be spending at least an hour a day with Sarah for the first few weeks, but as you recover, if you feel you're ready to go back to your normal life, then we'll have to adjust it to fit your touring lifestyle. I'm not entirely how sure you would work that out." Sarah watched the exchange, wondering what sessions with Matt would be like. Would it be a dream come true, or would he be a nightmare?

"I think I'd like to speak to Kate," Matt answered. "That is, if she wants to speak to me. I think I upset her earlier." The doctor nodded and went to fetch Matt's fiancée. "So, you're a fan, yeah? Of this...band...that I play in." He was hesitant saying the words, still in shock that he could possibly be a rockstar. Sarah nodded and grinned at him.

"'Fan' is a bit of an understatement, but then again, that can be said for most of your fans. We've got the craziest fanbase," Sarah admitted. Dom chuckled knowingly.

"They're great," he added. "We've met a load of them, Matt. They were always happy to see us." Sarah nodded. Why wouldn't they be?

"What's the music like?" Matt wondered. Sarah paused for thought. She knew he wasn't expecting the, 'Amazing ohmygod!' answer, but she wasn't entirely sure how to answer it correctly. She could opt for a fandom joke, saying something about Christian gangsta rap, but Matt wouldn't get the joke. She tried to filter through all the videos she'd ever watched and find an answer from something Matt himself had said before, but the answers were always vague. There wasn't really a way of describing it.

"It's...different. Rocky, but alternative, with loads of guitar riffs and heavy bass and piano and orchestral accompaniment and sort-of-dubstep-but-not intervals and robotic voices and wild falsettos and alien synthesisers and human bones and llamas toenails and dark organ tunes and happy acoustic melodies and relatable angst-riddled post-grunge and insane yet brilliantly mastered symphonies and," she tried to catch her breath as she noticed Matt staring at her in wonder.

"That's what we sound like?" He turned to Dom. "Really?"

"Well, I'd probably just say symphonic rock, but yeah, something like that," he replied. "You've really got to listen to it to understand." Matt nibbled his bottom lip, obviously lost in thought as he smiled to himself, only just noticing when Kate walked back in. She clutched her water bottle but mustered up the courage to wave at Matt. _He's your fiancé, Kate. He might not remember you, but you still love him. You know him. Treat him like he was._

"Hey, Matt," she greeted him. "You wanted to see me?" He nodded.

"Did Doctor Stoner tell you about the course they want to 'enrol' me in?" She nodded. "Well...I was wondering what your opinion was, seeing as we're living together and all." Kate's lips turned up at the ends. She leaned towards Matt and they started talking privately together. Sarah caught small snippets of the conversation, but she couldn't really determine what their decision was until Kate announced it to the room.

"We think the program would be really helpful, as long as Sarah is willing to help," she decided.

"Of course! I'd love to help, honestly," Sarah replied, tripping over her words in her eagerness.

"And we were wondering if, to make it easier for everyone, she could have a temporary residence in our house? Would that work? We have a spare room, fairly large, and we'd be willing to have you so that you don't have to journey. And then you'll be on hand if Matt needs you for anything. If that's okay with you?" Sarah nodded slowly, her hand in a daze. Did Kate really just offer to let her live with them for a little while, or was she having a strange dream?

"Fantastic," Doctor Stoner stated. "We'll start preparations right away!"

**OMG I never noticed before, when you're reading fanfiction you can change the background colour and size and stuff. Praise the Holy Bellamy, now my eyes won't die or something.**


	13. Chapter 13

Matthew began healing swiftly. The bandage wrapped around his head was taken off after a few days of him lying around and everybody ferrying things backwards and forwards for him. 'Get Well Soon' cards and letters from fans littered the room he was staying in, smiling flowers and teddy bears staring at him where he lay limply in the bed. During the day he put on a smile for his friends, reading the cards and grinning at them, but when they'd all left, he was confused. He picked the cards back up again, one by one, and read them all through, stroking them. They were all signed with 'Lots of Love' and stating that he was their hero.

It was all still unbelievable for Matt. These people relied on him, these people loved his music. Just a day ago he didn't even know that he was a musician, and just the thought of it still scared him. He tried to avoid this sort of topic when discussing with friends, but by night he liked to ponder over the possibilities. He'd also noticed that, no matter how many cards and books and magazines that they'd brought for him, never once did they allow him to listen to any music. It didn't seem to make sense to him, but perhaps everything would become clear when he moved back home.

The day of the moving was looming closer and closer, and Sarah was getting increasingly anxious. She had absolutely no idea what would be required of her or what she was meant to do at all. The agreement had come from nowhere and, if she was being completely honest, she was absolutely terrified. She was going to be living with them in their house for an indeterminable amount of time, which meant that she had to follow all their rules and try and fit in, as well as make sure she was doing a suitably good job with Matt's progress.

She began to pack a suitcase, not wanting to turn up with loads of stuff and look like she was moving in forever, but not knowing what she would need, either. How long would she be staying in the end? She packed most of her clothes, making sure she had at least one outfit for every sort of occasion that could happen. What if they suddenly decided to pick up and fly to LA? She didn't have clothes suitable for LA! Panicking, she threw her stuff into the suitcase and zipped it up, stomach turning as she sat on it to make it close. Hopefully she had everything she would need and, if not, she could always drive home and collect it, right?

When she pulled up at the hospital the following day, she sat in the car for a few minutes, tapping her nails against the steering wheel. Was she ready for this? No, probably not. But...she was going to go ahead with it anyway. Taking in a deep breath to steel her mind, she hopped out of the car and headed for Matt's room, hearing her footsteps as the soles of her shoes slapped against the linoleum floor and faking confidence as she strode towards them.

She knocked on the door of his room, immediately being granted entrance to where Matt was sat, propped up in the bed and clutching Kate's hand. The two were discussing something privately and Sarah didn't want to intrude, but her ears perked up as she listened. Matt's friends and family had been given strict instructions not to reveal anything to Matt aside from what relation they had to him so as not to mess with Sarah's methods, although she wasn't sure how effective they would be.

Kate laughed brightly at something Matt had said, her fiance grinning at her with his eyes sparkling. As she turned, she noticed Sarah lingering by the door and waved her over. The other girl shuffled towards them, ducking her head and biting her lip, confidence evaporating as she was faced with the pair.

"Are you looking forward to going home, Matt?" she asked nervously and he nodded at her.

"Can't wait. No offence or anything but it isn't particularly nice being cramped into one little hospital room," he explained, and Sarah shook her head with a smile.

"Don't worry about it. Are you ready or do you still need a few moments."

"A-are we going right now?"

"Pretty much." Matt slid to the side of the bed and poked his legs over, about to crawl out when he realised he was still only wearing the hospital gown. He gestured to Kate, who had a wicked grin on her face, to come over and hold the gown closed behind him as he waddled to the bathroom attached to his room, and Sarah muffled a laugh against the back of her hand. When Matt and Kate were in the bathroom, she made the bed Matt had been lying in, knowing how much the cleaners appreciated it, even if the covers were going to be washed soon. She sat on the bed, kicking her feet and waiting for the other two to emerge from the bathroom. Matt obviously trusted Kate, having been given a few days to get to know her again, and Sarah smiled at the thought. She knew of some cases where the patient shunned everybody around them despite previous relationships and people got hurt. Hopefully, Matt would progress well and regain what he had with Kate but, if that didn't work, at least they had a new bond forming.

Matt came out of the bathroom in a simple T-shirt and corduroy trousers, at which Sarah tried not to cringe, still on slightly shaky legs. He held onto Kate for guidance but made his own way towards the bed, where he stood in front of Sarah and looked directly at her with those sharp eyes. She swallowed and raised her eyebrows.

"Are you ready?" he asked her, a hint of a giggle seeping into his voice. She felt a grin spread across her face as she hopped up from the bed, glancing at Matt and Kate's intertwined hands and smiling further, before leading them out of the room and down to the car park.


End file.
